Newton resident Hubert Eugene “Hubie” Jones moved to Greater Boston from New York—he’d been raised in the South Bronx—more than 70 years ago, and he’s helped transform the region’s social justice movements ever since.

On Monday, the Newton City Council started its meeting with a musical tribute to Jones, who recently received an honorary doctorate degree in humane letters (that’s an honorary degree for someone who has contributed to society via the humanities or philanthropy) from Harvard University.

Jones has built an iconic reputation in his decades of service to low-income Greater Boston residents and students with disabilities.

As director of the Roxbury Multiservice Center, Jones piloted programs for low-income residents that would eventually be used by agencies nationwide.

He published a report showing thousands of children being left out of schools because of disabilities, and his report led to an overhaul of the state’s special education laws.

City Councilor Susan Albright—longtime neighbor of Jones’s—welcomed members of his family to the meeting Monday night, as Jones himself was unable to attend.

Albright was joined at the podium by Councilors Cyrus Dahmubed and Tarik Lucas and Council President John Oliver to read a resolution congratulating Jones on his honorary degree.

The Boston Children’s Choir, which Jones founded and which now includes thousands of young people throughout Greater Boston was there with harmony. Councilor Cyrus Dahmubed joined them in performing two songs for Jones, who would get to see the whole thing on NewTV afterward.